Political participation of scheduled caste women through SHGS in west Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh

Abstract

The concept of women empowerment is the outcome of several important critiques and debates generated by the women’s movement throughout the world, particularly by the third world feminists. Empowerment of women means the materialization of the relocation of power challenging the patriarchal ideology which justifies the male dominance. ‘Becoming powerful’ is the literal meaning of the term empowerment. Empowerment can be achieved through transformation of the structures or institutions that reinforce and perpetuate gender discrimination. Empowerment is a process that enables women to gain access to and control of available political, social and economic resources as well as the required information. It is also defined as the process by which the powerless gain greater control over the circumstances and control both resource and ideology that governs their lives. Women’s participation in the village based formal or non-formal organizations has made significant changes in their social status and position in the family. It permits them to participate in rural development for their own upliftment. It also gives them an opportunity to work in groups for common interest, associate with the on-going development programmes, articulate their needs and assume leadership in the national development process. In order to ascertain the political awareness and involvement of the members of the SHG in political affairs, the respondents were asked certain questions to access their political awareness which had an influence in exercising their political right.